Bridge inspectors have determined that the southbound lanes of Interstate 85 sustained damage from a fire that caused the adjacent northbound section to collapse and will also need to remain closed for the foreseeable future.

Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry said in a news release Friday that the extent of the fire-related damage will require extensive reconstruction to ensure driver safety.

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"What we do know is that three sections northbound will have to be replaced, as well as three sections southbound," an official said Friday during a press conference, which adds up to about 350 feet northbound and 350 feet southbound.

The repairs will take at least several months, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.

McMurry said the agency hasn't been able to assess the full extent of the damage because of lingering hotspots. He said it's unclear how long the reconstruction will take but that it's expected to be time consuming.

McMurry says the fire started in an area that was used as a storage location for construction materials, equipment and supplies. Authorities are still working to determine how the fire started.

Streets in Atlanta were clogged with traffic Friday morning after the fire closed a major artery for the foreseeable future.

MARTA CEO Keith Parker told The Associated Press the transit system was seeing strong crowds but that everything was going well.He urged people to remember that trains can get people from the system's northernmost points to downtown in about 20 minutes and that a trip between downtown and the airport takes about 15 minutes.

The collapse happened during the afternoon rush hour on Thursday and officials have said there's no way to tell when the highway can be safely reopened to traffic in either direction